TikTok to pay $100m and limit daily child usage in Alabama settlement

The settlement landed just before a jury trial was set to start Monday. It closes out a lawsuit that echoed similar cases filed against other social media platforms, all alleging that companies built their apps to hook kids.

As part of the deal, TikTok has to roll out a two-hour daily usage limit for children. The company also has to add overnight restrictions and limits during school hours to cut down on how much time kids spend scrolling when they should be sleeping or in class.

For families in Alabama, the settlement means TikTok can no longer leave those controls up to parents alone. The state argued the app's design itself was the problem, not just how kids chose to use it. Now the limits are baked directly into the platform.

The case adds to a growing list of legal fights over whether social media companies built their products to keep kids scrolling longer than they should. Alabama got $100 million and a built-in curfew to show for it.